Globular cluster systems in low-luminosity early-type galaxies near the Fornax cluster centre

We present a photometric study of the globular cluster systems (GCSs) of the Fornax cluster galaxies NGC 1374, NGC 1379 and NGC 1387. The data consist of images from the wide-field MOSAIC imager of the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) 4-m telescope, obtained with Washington C and Kron-Cousins R filters. The images cover a field of 36 × 36 arcmin2, corresponding to 200 × 200 kpc2 at the Fornax distance. Two of the galaxies, NGC 1374 and NGC 1379, are low-luminosity ellipticals while NGC 1387 is a low-luminosity lenticular. Their cluster systems are still embedded in the cluster system of NGC 1399. Therefore, the use of a large field is crucial and some differences to previous work can be explained by this. The colour distributions of all GCSs are bimodal. NGC 1387 presents a particularly distinct separation between red and blue clusters and an overproportionally large population of red clusters. The radial distribution is different for blue and red clusters, red clusters being more concentrated towards the respective galaxies. The different colour and radial distributions point to the existence of two globular cluster subpopulations in these galaxies. Specific frequencies are in the range SN = 1.4-2.4, smaller than the typical values for elliptical galaxies. These galaxies might have suffered tidal stripping of blue globular clusters by NGC 1399.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

Globular cluster systems in low-luminosity early-type galaxies near the Fornax cluster centre

We present a photometric study of the globular cluster systems (GCSs) of the Fornax cluster galaxies NGC 1374, NGC 1379 and NGC 1387. The data consist of images from the wide-field MOSAIC imager of the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) 4-m telescope, obtained with Washington C and Kron-Cousins R filters. The images cover a field of 36 × 36 arcmin2, corresponding to 200 × 200 kpc2 at the Fornax distance. Two of the galaxies, NGC 1374 and NGC 1379, are low-luminosity ellipticals while NGC 1387 is a low-luminosity lenticular. Their cluster systems are still embedded in the cluster system of NGC 1399. Therefore, the use of a large field is crucial and some differences to previous work can be explained by this. The colour distributions of all GCSs are bimodal. NGC 1387 presents a particularly distinct separation between red and blue clusters and an overproportionally large population of red clusters. The radial distribution is different for blue and red clusters, red clusters being more concentrated towards the respective galaxies. The different colour and radial distributions point to the existence of two globular cluster subpopulations in these galaxies. Specific frequencies are in the range SN = 1.4-2.4, smaller than the typical values for elliptical galaxies. These galaxies might have suffered tidal stripping of blue globular clusters by NGC 1399.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

VLT photometry in the Antlia cluster: the giant ellipticals NGC 3258 and NGC 3268 and their globular cluster systems

We present a deep Very Large Telescope (VLT) photometry in the regions surrounding the two dominant galaxies of the Antlia cluster, the giant ellipticals NGC 3258 and NGC 3268. We construct the luminosity functions of their globular cluster systems (GCSs) and determine their distances through the turn-over magnitudes. These distances are in good agreement with those obtained by the SBF method. There is some, but not conclusive, evidence that the distance to NGC 3268 is larger by several Mpc. The GCSs colour distributions are bimodal but the brightest globular clusters (GCs) show a unimodal distribution with an intermediate colour peak. The radial distributions of both GCSs are well fitted by de Vaucouleurs laws up to 5 arcmin. Red GCs present a steeper radial density profile than the blue GCs, and follow closely the galaxies' brightness profiles. Total GC populations are estimated to be about 6000 ± 150 GCs in NGC 3258 and NGC 4750 ± 150 GCs in NGC 3268. We discuss the possible existence of GCs in a field located between the two giant galaxies (intracluster GCs). Their luminosity functions and number densities are consistent with the two GCSs overlapping in projection.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y GeofísicasInstituto de Astrofísica de La Plat

Globular cluster systems in low-luminosity early-type galaxies near the Fornax Cluster centre

We present a photometric study of the globular cluster systems of the Fornax cluster galaxies NGC 1374, NGC 1379, and NGC 1387. The data consists of images from the wide-field MOSAIC Imager of the CTIO 4-m telescope, obtained with Washington C and Kron-Cousins R filters. The images cover a field of 36 x 36 arcmin, corresponding to 200 x 200 kpc at the Fornax distance. Two of the galaxies, NGC 1374 and NGC 1379, are low-luminosity ellipticals while NGC 1387 is a low-luminosity lenticular. Their cluster systems are still embedded in the cluster system of NGC 1399. Therefore the use of a large field is crucial and some differences to previous work can be explained by this. The colour distributions of all globular cluster systems are bimodal. NGC 1387 presents a particularly distinct separation between red and blue clusters and an overproportionally large population of red clusters. The radial distribution is different for blue and red clusters, red clusters being more concentrated towards the respective galaxies. The different colour and radial distributions point to the existence of two globular cluster subpopulations in these galaxies. Specific frequencies are in the range S_N= 1.4-2.4, smaller than the typical values for elliptical galaxies. These galaxies might have suffered tidal stripping of blue globular clusters by NGC 1399.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Galactic Extinction from Colors and Counts of Field Galaxies in WFPC2 Frames: An Application to GRB 970228

We develop the ``simulated extinction method'' to measure average foreground Galactic extinction from field galaxy number-counts and colors. The method comprises simulating extinction in suitable reference fields by changing the isophotal detection limit. This procedure takes into account selection effects, in particular, the change in isophotal detection limit (and hence in isophotal magnitude completeness limit) with extinction, and the galaxy color--magnitude relation. We present a first application of the method to the HST WFPC2 images of the gamma-ray burster GRB 970228. Four different WFPC2 high-latitude fields, including the HDF, are used as reference to measure the average extinction towards the GRB in the F606W passband. From the counts, we derive an average extinction of A_V = 0.5 mag, but the dispersion of 0.4 mag between the estimates from the different reference fields is significantly larger than can be accounted by Poisson plus clustering uncertainties. Although the counts differ, the average colors of the field galaxies agree well. The extinction implied by the average color difference between the GRB field and the reference galaxies is A_V = 0.6 mag, with a dispersion in the estimated extinction from the four reference fields of only 0.1 mag. All our estimates are in good agreement with the value of 0.81\pm0.27 mag obtained by Burstein & Heiles, and with the extinction of 0.78\pm0.12 measured by Schlegel et al. from maps of dust IR emission. However, the discrepancy between the widely varying counts and the very stable colors in these high-latitude fields is worth investigating.Comment: 14 pages, 2 figures; submitted to the Astrophysical Journa

The globular cluster system of NGC1316 : III. Kinematic complexity

Context. The merger remnant NGC 1316 (Fornax A) is one of the most important objects regarding the investigation of and thus an important object to study merger-related processes. A recent photometric study used globular clusters in NGC 1316 to constrain its star formation history, but without the knowledge of individual radial velocities. The kinematical properties of the globular cluster system in comparison with the diffuse stellar light might give more insight into the formation of NGC 1316. Of particular interest is the dark matter content. Planetary nebulae in NGC 1316 indicate a massive dark halo, and globular cluster velocities provide independent evidence. Aims. We aim at measuring radial velocities of globular clusters in NGC 1316. We use these kinematical data to investigate the global structure of NGC 1316 and to constrain the dark matter content. Methods. We perform multiobject spectroscopy with VLT/FORS2 and MXU. Out of 562 slits, we extract radial velocities for 177 globular clusters. Moreover, we measure radial velocities of the integrated galaxy light, using slits with a sufficiently bright sky. To these data, we add 20 cluster velocities from the literature. In an appendix, we identify new morphological features of NGC 1316 and its companion galaxy NGC 1317. Results. The GC sample based on radial velocities confirms the colour peaks already found in our photometric study. The bright clusters, which probably have their origin in a 2 Gyr old starburst and younger star formation events, avoid the systemic velocity. A Gaussian velocity distribution is found only for clusters fainter than about mR = 22 mag. The velocity distribution of clusters shows a pronounced peak at 1600 km s-1. These clusters populate a wide area in the south-western region which we suspect to be a disk population. Globular clusters or subsamples of them do not show a clear rotation signal. This is different from the galaxy light, where rotation along the major axis is discernable out to 3′ radius. The kinematic major axis of NGC 1316 is misaligned by about 10° with the photometric major axis, which might indicate a triaxial symmetry. A simple spherical model like that suggested by dynamical analyses of planetary nebulae also reproduces the velocity dispersions of the faint globular clusters. Conclusions. The central dark matter density of the present model resembles a giant elliptical galaxy. This contradicts population properties which indicate spiral galaxies as pre-merger components. Modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) would provide a solution, but the kinematical complexity of NGC 1316 does not allow a really firm conclusion. However, NGC 1316 might anyway be a problem for a cold dark matter scenario, if the high dark matter density in the inner region is confirmed in future studies.Instituto de Física La Plat

Age-metallicity relation in the Magellanic Clouds clusters

Aims. We study small open star clusters, using Strömgren photometry to investigate a possible dependence between age and metallicity in the Magellanic Clouds (MCs). Our goals are to trace evidence of an age metallicity relation (AMR) and correlate it with the mutual interactions of the two MCs and to correlate the AMR with the spatial distribution of the clusters. In the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), the majority of the selected clusters are young (up to 1 Gyr), and we search for an AMR at this epoch, which has not been much studied. Methods. We report results for 15 LMC and 8 Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) clusters, scattered all over the area of these galaxies, to cover a wide spatial distribution and metallicity range. The selected LMC clusters were observed with the 1.54 m Danish Telescope in Chile, using the Danish Faint Object Spectrograph and Camera (DFOSC) with a single 2k × 2k CCD. The SMC clusters were observed with the ESO 3.6 m Telescope, also in Chile, using the ESO Faint Object Spectrograph and Camera (EFOSC). The obtained frames were analysed with the conventional DAOPHOT and IRAF software. We used Strömgren filters in order to achieve reliable metallicities from photometry. Isochrone fitting was used to determine the ages and metallicities. Results. The AMR for the LMC displays a metallicity gradient, with higher metallicities for the younger ages. The AMR for LMC-SMC star clusters shows a possible jump in metallicity and a considerable increase at about 6 × 108 yr. It is possible that this is connected to the latest LMC-SMC interaction. The AMR for the LMC also displays a metallicity gradient with distance from the centre. The metallicities in SMC are lower, as expected for a metal-poor host galaxy.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

Globular clusters at the centre of the fornax cluster: tracing interactions between galaxies

We present the combined results of two investigations: a large-scale study of the globular cluster system (GCS) around NGC 1399, the central galaxy of the Fornax cluster, and a study of the GCSs around NGC 1374, NGC 1379 and NGC 1387, three low-luminosity early-type galaxies located close to the centre of the same cluster. In both cases, the data consist of images from the wide-field MOSAIC Imager of the CTIO 4–m telescope, obtained with Washington C and Kron–Cousins R filters, which provide good metallicity resolution. The colour distributions and radial projected densities of the GCSs are analyzed. We focus on the properties of the GCSs that trace possible interaction processes between the galaxies, such as tidal stripping of globular clusters (GCs). For the blue GCs, we find tails between NGC 1399 and neighbouring galaxies in the azimuthal projected distribution, and the three low-luminosity galaxies show low specific frequencies and a low proportion of blue GCs.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

VLT photometry in the Antlia Cluster: the giant ellipticals NGC 3258 and NGC 3268 and their globular cluster systems

We present a deep VLT photometry in the regions surrounding the two dominant galaxies of the Antlia cluster, the giant ellipticals NGC 3258 and NGC 3268. We construct the luminosity functions of their globular cluster systems (GCSs) and determine their distances through the turn-over magnitudes. These distances are in good agreement with those obtained by the SBF method. There is some, but not conclusive, evidence that the distance to NGC 3268 is larger by several Mpc. The GCSs colour distributions are bimodal but the brightest globular clusters (GCs) show a unimodal distribution with an intermediate colour peak. The radial distributions of both GCSs are well fitted by de Vaucouleurs laws up to 5 arcmin. Red GCs present a steeper radial density profile than the blue GCs, and follow closely the galaxies' brightness profiles. Total GC populations are estimated to be about 6000+/-150 GCs in NGC 3258 and 4750+/-150 GCs in NGC 3268. We discuss the possible existence of GCs in a field located between the two giant galaxies (intracluster GCs). Their luminosity functions and number densities are consistent with the two GCSs overlapping in projection.Comment: 13 pages, 16 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

The Opacity of Nearby Galaxies from Colors and Counts of Background Galaxies: I. The Synthetic Field Method and its Application to NGC 4536 and NGC 3664

We describe a new, direct method for determining the opacity of foreground galaxies which does not require any a priori assumptions about the spatial distribution or the reddening law of the obscuring material. The method is to measure the colors and counts of background galaxies which can be identified through the foreground system. The method is calibrated, and the effects of confusion and obscuration are decoupled by adding various versions of a suitable deep reference frame containing only field galaxies with known properties into the image of the foreground galaxy, and analyzing these ``synthetic field'' images in the same way as the real images. We test the method on HST WFPC2 archived images of two galaxies which are quite different: NGC 4536 is a large Sc spiral, and NGC 3664 is a small Magellanic irregular. The reference frames are taken from the Hubble Deep Field. From the background galaxy counts, NGC 4536 shows an extinction A_I ~ 1 mag in the northwestern arm region, and lower than 0.5 mag in the corresponding interarm region (no correction for inclination has been attempted). However, from the galaxy colors, the same reddening of E(V - I) ~ 0.2 is observed in both the arm and the interarm regions. In the interarm region, the combination of extinction and reddening can be explained by a diffuse component with a Galactic reddening law (R_V ~ 3). In the spiral arm, however, the same diffuse, low opacity component seems to coexist with regions of much higher opacity. Since the exposures are shorter the results for NGC 3664 are less clear, but also appear to be consistent with a two component distribution.Comment: 42 pages, 18 figures; accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 506, October 10, 199